


Whiskey River, You're All I've Got

by whispered_story



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Adman Jared, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Community: spn_meanttobe, First Time, M/M, bar owner Jensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whispered_story/pseuds/whispered_story
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen's life revolves around The Whiskey Sour, the bar he inherited from his grandfather nine years ago. But with too few customers and not nearly enough profit, things are taking a turn for the worse. And then Jared Padalecki walks into Jensen's life and changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jensen's life isn't perfect. It's normal, at best, though most people would probably go with _pretty damn boring_.

He has a handful of good friends, a handful of people he'd call acquaintances, and a family that doesn't care about him. He has a string of one-night-stands, but never anything that is about more than sex - because Jensen, quite possibly, runs as fast as he can the second a guy so much as mentions feelings. So, he has issues. Sue him.

He lives in a small crappy apartment and has so few belongings they would fit in a few boxes, but Jensen likes it that way. He's never really needed much to get by. Hell, his car broke down a few months ago and Jensen still hasn't gotten it fixed. Of course, there's also the minor detail of Jensen not having any money to fix it. And his plan to save up for the repair costs, at this point, looks pretty dismal.

The one thing that matters in Jensen's life, though, his one prized possession, is _The Whiskey Sour_ , his bar. He inherited it from his grandfather at the age of 23, still too young to even know how to run it. Most days, he thinks that even nine years later, he doesn't really know. The profit he's making with the bar at least would suggest he doesn't, since it's pretty non-existent. He barely makes enough to cover the monthly bills and pay the staff (which, luckily, only consists of one bouncer and a second bartender). 

The bar is what Jensen likes to call an insiders' tip – meaning, nobody really knows about it and the few people who do seem to be trying their best to keep it a secret. Or just don't think the place is good enough to recommend it to anyone.

It's all pretty pathetic, but Jensen figures he could be doing worse. Like, unemployment and a life on the streets. 

As crappy as Jensen's life sounds, it's actually not that bad. He loves his friends and, most of all, he loves the bar and all the memories he connects with it. And it's all Jensen's. It might not make him any money, might even lead to his financial ruin, but god knows it's worth it. He's going down with this ship, if he has to.

And then Jared Padalecki walks into his life and changes everything.

+

"You can't cancel this gig, man," Jensen says into the phone, pinching the bridge of his nose and just barely suppressing the heavy sigh that's threatening to escape. "Come on, Dom, you can't do that to me."

"You still owe me money from the last gig."

"I know. And you'll get that money. I swear."

"When?"

"Tonight. You can have the money tonight. Just come and play," Jensen all but begs. He presses his free hand onto the counter, feels the cool wood under his palm.

"I'll get the money for that last gig _and_ for tonight's?"

Jensen bites down on his lower lip and screws his eyes shut. "Dom."

"Look, man, I like you and I get that money is kinda tight right now, okay? I get it. And I don't wanna be a dick, but this is my job. If you can't pay me, I'm not playing."

"Friday night is live music night. People expect live music."

"I'm sorry, Jensen. Really." Dom's reply sounds final, and Jensen slumps, leaning against the counter heavily. 

"Okay. Just...come by in the next days and I'll give you the money I still owe you for last week," Jensen replies meekly.

"Thanks," Dom replies, and it doesn't make Jensen feel better when he actually sounds regretful. "See you around, Jensen."

"Yeah, see you," Jensen says, and hangs up. He puts the phone onto the counter and runs a hand over his face.

Someone clears his throat.

Jensen spins around and finds a guy at the other end of the bar. "We're still closed," he says.

"I know," the guy replies. "Are you Jensen Ackles?"

"Yes," Jensen replies slowly.

"Great. I wanted to talk to you." The guy steps forward. He's tall and built and looks utterly out of place in the dim light of the bar. Jensen's never really had money, and he's never known anyone who does either, but he can tell the man in front of him definitely does. The dark suit he's wearing fits perfectly, in a way that Jensen knows means it's not from the rack, and the way he holds himself, tall and sure, is a little bit intimidating.

When he holds out a hand, Jensen takes it. The man's handshake is strong and warm, and the smile he gives Jensen oozes confidence. Jensen wonders what he does – lawyer maybe, he thinks, and the thought makes his stomach twist. He hasn't had to deal with many lawyers in his life, but he knows they rarely ever mean anything good.

"How can I help you?" he asks.

"I'm Jared Padalecki," the other man says, and the name rings a bell immediately. "And I would like to buy your bar."

+

Jensen falls onto his bed tiredly, still fully dressed. Something in his back pocket crinkles, and Jensen twists to pull out a sleek business card.

_Jared Padalecki_

He'd Googled the name after he ever so politely told Jared Padalecki that he was not interested in selling his bar and showed him to the door. 

Jared Padalecki comes from money. His grandfather is some oil tycoon back in Texas and Jensen distantly remembers hearing the name a few times growing up. According to Google, it had been a bit of a scandal when Jared hadn't joined the family business after graduating from some Ivy League School. He'd gone into advertising instead, opened up his own agency a couple of years ago, and he's filthily rich. He's the kind of rich that Jensen thought only existed in movies, and the guy is just 28 years old. It makes Jensen feel inexplicably angry, thinking about how easy life must be for someone like Jared – he probably has never wanted for anything in his life.

Jensen crumbles the business card in his fist and then throws it aside. He falls asleep feeling bitter and resentful of a man he doesn't really know beyond what was written about him on the internet.

+

"Well, you look well-rested," Danneel kids, taking the chair across from Jensen.

"Didn't sleep well," Jensen admits, closing the menu and sliding it across the table to Danneel.

Danneel frowns at him. "Did something happen?"

"Not really," Jensen says, and shrugs. He picks up the tiny salt shaker, tipping it upside town slowly and watching small grands of salt scatter over the table. "I got an offer for the bar yesterday."

"What kind of offer?"

"This guy wants to buy it," Jensen explains. "He offered me 200k."

Danneel whistles. "That's a lot of money."

"I think for him that's change, really," Jensen shrugged. "I looked him up online. Jared Padalecki, he owns an advertising agency and his family is in the oil industry. The guy's loaded."

"I heard the name before, I think," Danneel says, nodding. "Are you thinking about selling?"

Jensen shakes his head.

"Why not?" she asks. 

"You know why."

"Jensen," Danneel starts and sighs. "Look, I know you love the bar. I get it. It was your grandpa's and he's the only person who stood by you and was there for you. But you're not making any profit."

"I can't just sell it," Jensen argues.

"Don't you think he'd want you to though? If things continue the way they are, you'll lose everything. I think your grandpa would rather want you to be happy than poor."

"And what would I do if I sell the bar?" Jensen asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You'd have 200k. There's a lot you can do with that."

Jensen snorts. "I'm a college drop-out, Danni. I don't have any qualifications. And I can't. I can't sell that place," he says. "And I like the job."

Danneel sighs and flips open the menu. "You know I'll support you. Always, Jensen," she says. "I just hate seeing your life fall apart. All I'm asking is that you think about the offer."

+

Three days later, Jared saunters into the bar. 

Jensen sees him come in, and his jaw drops for a second before he steels his look. 

Jared stands in the entrance for a moment, looking around, before coming over the bar. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt tonight, and though he still doesn't quite blend in with the usual crowd, it's a lot better than the suit. 

Jared sits down at the counter and gives Jensen a wide smile. "Evening, Jensen," he says.

"What do you want?" Jensen asks, crossing his arms.

"Whatever you have on tap."

"I meant, what do you want _here_ ," Jensen hisses, leaning forward so Jared can hear him over the music.

Jared holds up his hands. "I just came for a drink."

"Oh, really?"

"Is that how you treat all your paying customers?" Jared asks. "It would explain why the place is so empty."

"Fuck you," Jensen says through clenched teeth, and Jared sighs.

"Sorry. That was stupid and totally uncalled for," he apologizes, and Jensen thinks he looks almost sincere. "Listen, I really just came for a beer."

"Why here?" Jensen asks defensively.

"Because I offered you 200,000 dollars and you kicked me out without hesitation," Jared replies easily. "I figured this place must be special."

"It is," Jensen agrees.

Jared gives him a small smile. "I believe you," he says. "Can I get a beer now? I swear, I have no ulterior motives."

Jensen kind of wants to say no on principle, but Jared _is_ a paying customer, so Jensen draws a beer for him.

"Thank you," Jared says, sliding a few bills over the counter. He takes a sip from the beer and then looks at Jensen with raised eyebrows. He takes another sip, a calculating look on his face. "You can take the boy out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the boy, huh?"

"What?" Jensen asks.

Jared raises his glass. "Selling Texas beer in California," he says. "And your accent gave you away anyway."

"Right. You're from Texas, too," Jensen says, almost to himself.

"Best place on earth," Jared says with a nod, grinning.

Jensen grimaces.

"What?" Jared asks. "You don't agree?"

"I left, didn't I?" Jensen asks, waving around the bar. "And you did, too."

"Yeah, well, not because I didn't love the place." Jared cocks his head, and he looks like he's about to say more. Jensen feels a rush of relief when someone leans against the counter next to Jared, placing an order, and Jensen busies himself with getting the drinks. He doesn't feel like talking to Jared, but he feels like talking about Texas to Jared even less.

"Can I ask you something?" Jared asks when the guy leaves with the drinks.

"Can I stop you?"

Jared grins, tipping his glass at Jensen. "Why are you so attached to this place?" he asks. "No offense, but I heard the phone call the other day and there aren't many people here tonight. Doesn't take much to figure out the bar isn't doing too well."

"It's doing just fine," Jensen snaps back.

Jared gives him a look, expression soft. "Jensen. Come on."

Jensen hesitates, then shrugs. He wipes the counter down with a rag and avoids looking at Jared. "It was my grandpa's," he simply says. "My mom's side of the family is from here."

Jared hums, and Jensen straightens.

"Can I ask why you want it?" he asks.

"The building next door is mine," Jared explains. "I have a friend who's a cook. We've been thinking about opening a restaurant together, and we'd need more space."

"So you'd get rid of the bar if you bought it?" Jensen asks, voice hard, and he feels a surge of anger at the thought.

"Does it matter?" Jared asks. "You're not selling anyway, right?"

"I'm not," Jensen agrees, and Jared nods.

"There you go then. You have no reason to get mad at me," he says, and Jensen can't really argue with that.

+

Over the next couple of weeks, Jared turns up a few more times. He sits at the bar, orders beer, and doesn't talk to anyone other than Jensen. Sometimes, he watches the crowd, small as it is, but mostly he watches Jensen. It's unnerving, and Jensen doesn't know what to do with it. He can't figure Jared out, and it's driving him crazy. 

Each time Jared comes in, Jensen tells him that he's still not selling and Jared just looks at him with amusement. It's like he doesn't even care – or maybe he's so sure that Jensen will cave that he isn't taking Jensen seriously, and that thought infuriates Jensen more than anything. 

He tries to serve Jared with a stoic expression, giving one word answers and glaring at him from behind the counter. Somehow, Jared still manages to engage Jensen in a conversation a couple of times. Jared might be a dick (Jensen ignores the fact that Jared hasn't really behaved like a dick so far), but he's a damn charming one, and Jensen's behavior seems to spur him on more than scare him off.

+

Jensen is sitting in his favorite café, a couple of blocks down from the bar, sheets of paper spread out in front of him and a calculator and pen in his hands. His coffee has long since gone cold, and the frown on Jensen's face deepens with each passing second.

Jensen's finances are a disaster. They're so disastrous, Jensen isn't sure is going to be able to afford food if things don't start looking up soon.

"Fancy meeting you here," a voice drawls, and Jensen looks up, startled. 

Jared's standing next to his table, a mug in one hand, grinning. He's wearing a pristine suit, fitting perfectly on his tall frame, and there's a pair of sunglasses dangling from his free hand. He looks like a model, not a hair out of place, and it makes something twist in the pit of Jensen's stomach.

"What are you doing here?" Jensen asks warily.

"Coffee," Jared says, holding up his mug.

"Yeah, right," Jensen replies with a snort. "How come I've never seen you here before?"

Jared smirks. "Are you saying you would have noticed me?"

Jensen frowns, making a protesting noise when Jared pulls out the chair opposite Jensen and sits down. "The seat's taken," he growls.

"Yeah? Well, whenever your company shows up I'll gladly leave the chair to them," Jared says with a casual shrug. "So, how are things, Jensen?"

"None of your business."

Jared's face falls a little. "Not good then?" he asks, and he actually sounds a little concerned. He glances at the papers Jensen has spread out, picking one up and skimming it.

"Leave that alone," Jensen warns, snatching the paper from Jared's hand.

Jared sighs and folds his hands around his coffee mug. "Maybe you shouldn't be going over your finances in a public place, Jensen."

Jensen looks around the mostly empty coffee place pointedly. "I didn't expect anyone to come sit at my table," he says.

Jared holds up his hands. "Sorry. I just saw you and thought you might like some company."

"Do I look like I want company? Yours, nonetheless?"

"Okay, so maybe I wanted your company then," Jared says.

"Has anyone ever told you how obnoxious you are?" 

"Plenty of times." Jared grins easily.

Jensen glares and then looks down, focusing on his work again. He manages to ignore Jared for a couple of minutes before he looks back up with a growl. Jared is still looking straight at him.

"Could you just leave me alone?" Jensen snaps. "I'm trying to work here."

"I like watching you," Jared replies with a shrug. "But let me ask you a question. How long are you going to keep this up, Jensen?"

"What?"

Jared waves his hand at the mess of papers on the table. "This. Look, I can see the numbers you've jotted down there," he says, pointing at the notebook lying at Jensen's elbow. "And I've been at the bar enough times now to know you're not making a lot of money. Things aren't looking good for you. I get that the bar means something to you and you don't want to give it up, but you're running yourself into debt. Is that worth it?"

"Yes," Jensen replies.

"Really? So you'd rather end up losing everything than do the sensible thing and sell the place before it ruins you?"

"Yes," Jensen repeats, and Jared looks at him for a moment before he nods.

+

Jensen is restocking in the back when he hears Jared call out his name. He cringes when he realizes that by now he knows Jared's voice well enough to recognize it. Sighing, he wipes his hands on his jeans and straightens up.

Jared is leaning against the counter with another guy, smiling when Jensen comes out of the back.

"We're not open yet," Jensen says with a glare.

"I know."

"And I'm still not selling," Jensen adds, glancing at the guy next to Jared. "Even if you brought back-up."

"I know," Jared repeats. He claps the guy next to him on the shoulder. "This is Michael. Old friend on mine. He makes the best cocktails in the whole state."

"Good for him," Jensen says.

"He's going to show you a few tricks."

Jensen tenses, crossing his arms over his chest. "He what now?" he asks.

"Look, you want to keep this place in business, right? I'm just trying to help. You need to cater to a broader variety of people if you want more customers, Jensen, and we're starting with the kind of drinks you're offering."

"We?" Jensen asks, raising his eyebrows.

Jared doesn't look bothered. He just smiles and shrugs. "You obviously need someone to help you out. And I happen to work in advertising."

"And I don't remember becoming one of your clients."

"You know, your stubbornness is only going to make me try even harder," Jared says. "You're not my client. But I know what I'm doing and I can help you."

"By showing up with some dude who makes cocktails? You think _cocktails_ are going to help me?" Jensen asks, then looks at Michael. "No offense."

Michael grins and shrugs. "None taken."

"To answer your question," Jared chimes in, "no. If only it was that easy. But cocktails are what we're starting with."

"You can't just barge in here and take charge."

Jared holds up his hands. "You're still in charge. I never implied otherwise," he says. "But let me help you. Come on. It can't hurt, right? No strings attached, no expenses for you at all."

Jensen has half a mind to kick Jared out and tell him to go to hell. He might not be much of a businessman but he's not stupid either. "Fine," he sighs.

"Awesome. We have supplies outside. Michael is going to show you how to mix some killer drinks," Jared says, sounding almost giddy. He claps his hands together, and waves Jensen over.

Jensen's not sure what he just got himself into, but he follows Jared anyway.

+

The next day, Jared comes in with a huge folder an hour before the bar opens.

"I'm not signing anything," Jensen warns, but follows Jared to one of the tables. He sits down opposite him.

"Nothing to sign. Just a few suggestions."

Jensen narrows his eyes. "Are you trying to remodel my bar?"

"No, I'm trying to get _you_ to remodel your bar," Jared replies and flips open the folder. "I have a mockup for a new menu. I added the cocktails, some other stuff – just look at it and tell me what you're okay with. Also, as charming as this interior design is, this place really needs some renovations."

"Yeah, let me just take some of my savings and get right on that. Oh, wait," Jensen snarks. "I don't have any savings."

Jared grins. "And as _charming_ as you are, you really need to relax a little."

"I don't need to do a damn thing."

"Actually, what you really need to do is come up with a few clever ideas to get this bar noticed. The location isn't ideal, but if word gets out that the bar is good that won't matter. It's all about mouth-to-mouth publicity."

"And how do I do that?"

"By drawing attention to you, for starters."

Jensen glares at Jared across the table. "Don't you think I've tried?" he asks testily.

"Well, try harder. We'll think of some specials you can offer, and then I'll make some kick-ass flyers and we're going to hand them out all over the city."

Jensen taps his fingers against the table, feeling tension in his body. "What's with all this 'we' bullshit anyway?" he asks.

Jared smiles. "We're two people, so that makes us a 'we', Jensen," he says slowly, and Jensen wants to reach out and smack him. Instead he grudgingly accepts the sheets of paper Jared hands him.

He skims them carefully and finds Jared has jotted down ideas for the bar, some more planned out than others. He's not surprised that they don't sound half-bad – this is what Jared makes money with after all and Jensen never doubted that he's good at his job. He just doubts Jared's intentions.

"Why are you doing this?" he finally asks, looking back up at Jared.

Jared shrugs. "Because it feels right," he says simply. "Because you're not in it for the money, and I like that."

"If this is all just a big trick..."

"Jensen. It isn't. But if it is, I give you permission to hunt me down and I won't even put up a fight if you punch me. Okay?"

"Okay," Jensen agrees warily.

"Look, how could this possibly be a trick anyway? Helping you with this bar certainly isn't going to work in my favor if I still wanted you to sell it to me."

"You don't want to buy it any longer?" Jensen asks, still feeling somewhat suspicious. Jared has no reason to help him, to suddenly have a change of heart, and Jensen knows that trusting the man blindly would be stupid. But at the same time there's this nagging voice in his head telling him that Jared sounds sincere, that this is a chance Jensen shouldn't just dismiss. As it is, Jensen knows he's not going to save _The Whiskey Sour_ by himself and if Jared is offering his help, than maybe that's the only chance Jensen has to stay in business. It's a risk, but at this point Jensen thinks he doesn't have much of a choice anyway.

"I don't," Jared says, and waves his hand, vaguely gesturing at the interior of the bar. "This? It's yours. It's you. I got the message loud and clear – you're not going to give up on the bar, no matter how much money I offer you. So, I'm going to help you turn it around."

Jensen bites down on his lower lip, looking at the sheets of paper Jared handed him, some of the words hard to make out in the dim light. He's got nothing to lose, he thinks, and then nods.

+

"Free shots?" Jensen asks, skimming the flyer Jared handed him.

" _One_ free shot," Jared replied. "And only for people who have a flyer."

"Still. I can't afford to hand out drinks for free."

"Jensen. This is my job, okay? Trust me," Jared says. Jensen gives him a doubting look. "Look, it'll draw in a crowd and in the end, the money you make with the drinks they actually pay for will make up for the free shots you handed out. I promise."

Jensen doesn't exactly feel convinced, but he sighs and nods anyway. "How can we reopen the bar if we never closed it though?" he asks, looking down at the flyer in his hand again. "It's like we're saying, hey, there's a new bar here except it's been around for ages."

Jared waves him off. "It's just a phrase, Jen," he says. "You've changed some things up here, so in a way you're reopening. Re-inventing yourself."

Jensen frowns at Jared. "It hasn't changed that much," he says, and then looks around. 

All the lights are switched on in the bar, flooding it with light that seems almost out of place. There's an updated menu and a list of specials, and he's spent most of the last couple of weeks cleaning the bar from top to bottom during the day after Jared nagged him about it for days. Jared's been around a couple of times to help. It only increased Jensen's confusion, seeing Jared pick up an old rag and scrub the counter and mop the floor until it shone in a way it hasn't since Jensen first stepped foot into _The Whiskey Sour_. Despite all of that, it's still the same old bar and the flyer announcing the bar is reopening a week from Friday, shiny and new, feels like a lie. People are going to come, take one look around, and leave again.

"About that," Jared says, and he walks behind the bar. He opens one of the fridges and pulls out a soda. "Want one, too?"

"No. And you're paying for that," Jensen huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now, spit it out."

"There are a couple of guys coming around in a few, and they'll do some work," Jared says, uncapping the bottle and taking a long swig.

"What kind of work?"

"Small stuff. Lightning. Some other things," Jared says, looking sheepish.

"What's wrong with the lightning?" 

"Jensen. Dingy bars only work if you have a dingy clientele."

"Maybe I want a dingy clientele," Jensen says petulantly. He watches Jared's expression morph, lips twitching up into an amused smile.

"You don't. Because I hate to break it to you, but dingy isn't going to put any food on your table anytime soon. So we're going for a little more upscale clientele."

"How upscale?" Jensen asks. "Because seriously, this isn't some snazzy, pretentious bar."

"Jensen," Jared says with a sigh. "Just trust me, okay? I'm not going to ruin your bar. I'm just improving it a little."

"With lights?"

Jared shrugs. "Yeah. Sure," he says, then bites his lower lip. "Among other things."

"Among other things? What _other_ things?"

"Well – you know there's a difference between antique furniture and simply old furniture? Because the tables and chairs in here fall into the second category, unfortunately. They're _this close_ to falling apart, man."

Jensen's face twists up in a grimace, knowing Jared is right. He doesn't know how old the stuff in the bar is, knows it's been around since as long as he can remember at least, and most of it is more than crappy. "I don't have the money for new stuff," he says tightly.

Jared nods. "That's fine. I'll handle it."

"Jared."

"I know these guys who are coming over. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? Even if you know these guys, Jared, I'm still not going to be able to afford them or the furniture or whatever."

"I'll handle it," Jared repeats, and Jensen frowns.

"No, you won't," he says vehemently, shaking his head.

"You can pay me back," Jared says. "Look. Just accept it, okay? As a gift. Not even a gift, since you'll pay me back once this place starts making money. Just—a friend helping another friend out."

"I can't do that. You don't even know me."

"Of course I know you."

"Not well."

"Well then, let's get to know each other," Jared suggests and leans against the counter. "Go out to dinner with me sometime."

"What?" Jensen asks, narrowing his eyes.

Jared just grins. "Dinner. You and me. Please?" he says. "In fact, we'd be even if you went out with me, if you wanna look at it that way. I'm doing you a favor, helping you out financially, you'd be doing me a favor by going on a date with me."

Jensen huffs. "I'm not having sex with you because you're giving me loan, asshole."

Jared gives him an exasperated look. "I asked you out for dinner. Your past experiences with men must have been pretty shitty if a simple dinner invitation translates into having to put out."

Jensen snorts. "Oh please. Are you really trying to tell me you just wanna have dinner?"

"Yes," Jared agrees. "So, what do you say?"

"What if I say no? Will you revoke your offer to loan me money?"

Jared sighs, finishes off his soda, and then drops the empty bottle into the bin beneath the counter. "Look, I got a meeting to go to. Just let the guys do their work, okay? And forget I ever asked you out."

"Are you pissed at me now? Because I turned you down?" Jensen asks. He glares at Jared, feeling a flare of anger wash over him. He tells himself he's being irrational, but he can't help himself, chest constricting as he looks at Jared.

"No," Jared replies, shaking his head. "But I can take a hint. You don't want to have dinner with me, and that's okay. I won't mention it again."

"Then why are you rushing out of here all of a sudden?"

Jared smiles at him, looking more fond than upset. "I really do have a meeting," he says. "I'll come over tonight though. You can call me if you need me, but I think the guys will have it covered. I told them what needed to be done. Just try not to shoot down every suggestion they have, okay?"

"Fine," Jensen says, and if it comes out a little clipped he can't help it.

Jared grins, and shakes his head. "You puzzle me, Jensen. You rejected me, yet you're the one who's upset now."

"I'm not upset," Jensen lies, and Jared laughs.

"If you say so," he says. "I'll see you tonight, Jensen."

"Whatever," Jensen huffs, and he watches Jared take his briefcase and leave. 

Part of him wants to call out to Jared and stop him, for what exactly he doesn't know – all he knows is that he feels all twisted up inside, like he made a mistake turning Jared away. Jared, who is either the nicest person in the world, apparently, or is playing some huge game that Jensen can't comprehend. If anyone had told Jensen a few weeks ago that some rich guy would walk into his bar, wanting to buy it, and then turn into Jensen's biggest supporter when Jensen rejected him, he would have laughed – yet here he is, and Jensen thinks it must be too good to be true still. But in the pit of his stomach, he feels like Jared has meant every single word he's ever spoken to Jensen.

+

"It looks good," Jared says, nodding in approval as he looks around.

"It does," Jensen agrees. The bar is a little brighter, the lights a little warmer than before. The new furniture fits in nicely, not a huge departure from how the bar looked before. Jensen thinks he should be pissed at Jared for meddling, for going behind his back and ordering new furniture, but he has to admit that everything Jared chose is perfect. Dark, rich wood, sturdy and simple. Something Jensen would have chosen himself as well, and he wonders if Jared really knows him that well or if it's just a coincidence.

"So you're not mad that I ambushed you with this?" Jared sits down at one of the stools by the bar, resting his clasped hands on the counter. Theyd sanded the counter off just last week, and then put a new layer of polish onto it and now it's smooth and clean, almost the way Jensen remembers it looking when his granddad had opened the bar when he was a kid.

"It turned out all right, so...thanks," Jensen admits.

"Anytime," Jared replies with a soft smile.

"So, uh, you want something to drink? Beer?" Jensen asks, and smiles back.

"Beer would be great."

Jensen nods and grabs a glass, drawing a beer for Jared. He accepts the money Jared slides over to him, and then goes to serve some other customers. By the time Jensen returns to where Jared is sitting, Jared is almost done with his beer.

"Friday night," he says.

"What?" Jared asks.

"One of my friends used to be a bartender in college. He said he can handle the place for one night. So I'd be free on Friday."

Jared's lips stretch into a smile. "Free for what?" he asks, sounding a little hopeful.

Jensen rolls his eyes. "Dinner," he says.

Jared observes him for a moment, then nods. "You're not doing this because you feel like you have to, right?"

"No," Jensen replies without hesitation and Jared brightens.

"Okay, great. Friday night," Jared says with a nod. 

Jensen gives him a smile, feeling suddenly both excited and dreading the dinner already. 

It's been a while since he went out for a date, and despite the rough start they had, despite Jensen's trepidation, he can't deny that he's drawn to Jared. And that's exactly why the dread sets in. The last time Jensen liked someone was in college, and it went as wrong as things possibly could have. The guy had played Jensen like a fiddle, promising him everything under the sun, and Jensen had lapped it up, fallen hard and fast. The relationship had just as quickly gone bad – Marc, his ex, had gotten irrationally jealous of any time Jensen spent time with someone else, and he'd had a temper a mile wide. They'd gotten into more than a few screaming matches over it, and Jensen doesn't even remember why he'd stayed. In the end, he'd woken up one morning with his wallet and his gaming console missing and he'd found out a few weeks later that Marc had met some other guy a couple of months earlier. Jensen hadn't even been surprised – he's always been good at picking the wrong guys. And he can't shake the fear that he is setting himself up for heartbreak yet again.

+

Jared takes him to a restaurant that's definitely more expensive than the places Jensen usually goes to, but it's not nearly as upscale as Jensen expected. The food is amazing and not cheap, but it's not horribly expensive and Jensen feels comfortable among the other guests in his jeans and button-down shirt. It's the not kind of place Jensen expected Jared to take him to, but as they settle down at a table together Jensen thinks he should have known better. Despite his first impression of Jared, the last few weeks have taught him that Jared isn't just some rich guy. He's not afraid to actually work, to get dirty, and despite the fact that he doesn't quite fit in with Jensen's usual clientele, he's never seemed uncomfortable. He's always happy to just sit at Jensen's counter, drinking his beer and watching the crowd. 

"This is nice," Jensen says, sipping his wine. 

"I thought you might like it," Jared says with a nod. "How's your food?"

"Pretty awesome," Jensen admits. "It's been a while since I had a steak this good."

"Hmm, yeah. Texas has spoiled me when it comes to steak," Jared says, and smiles. "It's nowhere nearly as good as it is at home."

"Yeah," Jensen agrees. He might not miss many things about Texas, or at least about what he left behind in Texas, but the food is one of the few things he misses. 

They talk easily during dinner, Jared telling Jensen about his work and asking Jensen about the bar. They share some stories about growing up in Texas, about how strange things had seemed in California at first.

"You're not close to your family, are you?" Jared asks as they walk out of the restaurant together.

Jensen looks at him, startled, not sure how to answer the question. "Why?" he asks.

Jared shrugs. "You hardly talk about them. Even when you talk about Texas, it's all about friends and other things, but not your family. And the stuff you said about leaving for a reason a few weeks ago," he says. "Just makes me think something happened."

"They just..." Jensen halts and sighs. "They couldn't deal with me being gay, is all."

"They kicked you out?" Jared asks, voice soft.

"Not really. I came out while I was in college and things were pretty tense after that. My parents weren't happy with it, yeah, but they didn't disown me. Things just changed. We just drifted apart, stopped being close. It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal," Jared argues.

"It's not like they hate me. Mom leaves a message on my answering machine on my birthday. I send a card for Christmas. It's fine. We're just not close, is all," Jensen replies, but he can hear the lie in his own voice. He hardly ever talks about his family to anyone. Danneel knows, and a couple of other friends, but Jensen usually just avoids the topic altogether. 

Jared slides his arm around Jensen, giving his arm a soft squeeze. He's a warm, comforting weight pressed against Jensen's side and for a brief moment, Jensen leans into him. "For what it's worth, Jensen, I'm sorry," Jared says.

Jensen looks up at him and gives him a small smile, nodding curtly. It feels like just those words, just Jared being there, is suddenly worth a lot.

Jared drives him home in comfortable silence, switching the radio on. Jensen's glad Jared isn't trying to strike up a conversation, feeling too lost in his head to focus on anything else. He leans against the window, watching the world pass them by. When they stop at a red light, Jared touches arm briefly and smiles at him, a silent reassurance.

He walks Jensen up to the front door to the front door when they finally reach Jensen's apartment building. 

"I had fun tonight," Jared says as they walk the last few steps to the building.

Jensen grimaces. "The ending was kinda a downer. Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Jared argues, shaking his head. "I asked. And I didn't mind, Jensen. I want to get to know _you_."

"Okay," Jensen says, nods. He stops and turns to face Jared, fiddling with the keys in his hands. "Thanks for the dinner."

"Any time," Jared replies. He reaches out, hand hovering over Jensen's cheek for a second before he cups his face gently, thumb stroking over skin. "Can I kiss you?"

Jensen breathes out, moves closer, and nods. He leans up, meeting Jared halfway. The kiss is soft and dry, just the brief touch of lips for a few split moments, and then Jared draws back already. 

"Good night," he murmurs.

Jensen sighs and presses his lips back to Jared for another quick kiss. "You're not gonna ask if you can come up?" he asks, and Jared huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. 

"No. But I'll call tomorrow and ask you out on another date," he says. He steps back, a smile on his face, and in that moment, with the moonlight throwing shadows across his face, the sight makes Jensen's heart beat faster. 

When Jared calls the next day, Jensen agrees to another date without hesitation.

+

Jensen spends three days that week handing out the flyers Jared made with Danneel. He feels a little stupid, and there's a stab of disappointment every time he sees someone take a flyer just to throw it into the next trashcan. He's glad Danneel is helping him at least, because more than a few guys seem to be all too happy to agree to come to the opening when Danneel tells them she'll definitely be there.

On Thursday, Jensen's in the streets again, this time on his own, when he feels someone touch his back. He whirls around and finds himself face to face with Jared.

"What are you doing here?" Jensen asks, and Jared smiles.

"Thought I'd make myself useful," he says. He holds out a hand and Jensen stares at it before handing Jared a stack of flyers.

"You don't have to," he says.

"I want to," Jared replies, and leans down, pressing the briefest of kisses against Jensen's cheek. "Come on, time's wasting."

+

"Hey," Jared greets, a big smile on his face as he waltzes into the bar the following Friday. He's wearing a suit today, tie loosened and the jacket off, hanging over his arm. He places a box on the counter that Jensen is just wiping down. He was too tired to do it the night before after closing down. The bar has been busier in the last few days, even though the official reopening – and Jensen still snorts at that – isn't until tonight. It's not so busy that Jensen can't keep up or that he can stop worrying about his finances, but Jensen is working more than he has in months. And while the cocktails Jared put on the menu are a big hit, Jensen still doesn't have the recipes down and fumbles through making them. He's used to drawing beer, not shaking fruity concoctions and decorating glasses with umbrellas.

"Hey," Jensen replies and smiles.

"I brought you something," Jared says unnecessarily. "An opening gift."

"Don't you ever work?" Jensen asks, voice teasing, and he pulls the box closer to him, flipping the top back. Inside the paper box are four cupcakes, perfectly aligned and decorated with pink frosting. "And you are aware of the fact that I'm _not_ a girl, right?"

"Yes and yes," Jared says, sitting down on one of the bar stools, and then leers at Jensen exaggeratedly. "Believe me, I'm very aware of just how much of a man you are."

Jensen rolls his eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself, buddy. We've been on one date."

Jared laughs. "You already agreed to a second date though," he reminds Jensen smugly. 

"I can take it back anytime," Jensen replies. He turns around and gets a soda from the fridge, putting it down in front of Jared, before taking one of the cupcakes out of the box and nudging the other three towards Jared. "But seriously though, shouldn't you be working?"

"Lunch break," Jared replies with a shrug. Jensen looks at his watch and raises an eyebrow. "Long lunch break."

"Yeah?" Jensen asks suspiciously.

Jared takes one of the cupcakes and places it on the counter, bringing his hand up to lick frosting of his fingers. Jensen watches the pink tongue sneak out and slide over skin, leaving Jared's fingers glistening.

"I had a meeting this morning," Jared finally says. "I'm going back into work later for some paper stuff. That's it."

"You don't work that much," Jensen says. It's not accusing, just a statement and he's glad when Jared looks at him and smiles.

"Not really, no. You know, there's a point where you make enough money to pay everyone else to do your work."

"Sounds nice," Jensen replies. He takes a bite of his cupcake, sweet and buttery and perfect.

Jared grimaces and shrugs. "Boring, is more like it."

"Then work more. Nobody's forcing you to let others do most of the work."

"Would you believe me if I told you I didn't like my job that much?" Jared asks. "It's weird. I thought it was what I wanted to do, but it's nothing like I imagined. Advertising isn't about coming up with the best ideas anymore, it's about schmoozing the clients. All day, you just suck up to rich dicks and try to sway them with little gifts and niceties. It's not our ideas that make clients sign with us, it's the fact that we get them the best box seats or pay for a night out when they're in town. And the fact that I'm Jared Padalecki."

"That bothers you?" Jensen asks, feeling honestly surprised. He can't imagine how being the heir to an oil tycoon could ever be a burden – he'd give anything not to have to struggle every day, worrying if he can afford his rent the following month. He's never really given it much thought, never considered that Jared might not feel that way.

"I just want to be Jared. I want to be recognized because I'm good at what I do, not because of who my family is," Jared says with a shrug. "It wasn't that way at first, after college. I worked my way up, got promotions because I was good at what I did. And then I opened up my own agency, and suddenly clients come to me because of the name attached to the it."

"I didn't know you were that big a deal. Your family, I mean," Jensen says. "At least not outside of Texas or, you know, the oil business."

Jared shrugs. "I know, right? Why would anyone care that some dude in Texas made a fortune with oil?" he asks, and huffs out a laugh. "I think if you asked the average person in California, they wouldn't know my grandpa, or maybe only heard of him in passing. Rich people are kinda different, though. All they care about is how much money you have, how big your yacht is, who you're seen with. If you're rich, they know you. And believe me, they _all_ know my family."

Jensen grimaces. "Nice," he mutters.

Jared laughs. "Yeah. It sucks," he says. "It's why I wanted to get away from the whole thing. And now I'm right back in it, just in a different state."

"And you want back out?" Jensen asks.

Jared shrugs. "I just want to do something I enjoy. I don't have to worry about money, so why should I do a job I don't like?" he asks. "I still work with some of our biggest clients, but I'm not that involved with everything else at the agency anymore. My partner handles most of it."

"Well, what do you want to do then?" Jensen asks. He breaks off another piece of the cupcake, pushing it into his mouth and licking the frosting off his fingers. He feels a hot thrill go through him when he sees Jared's gaze fall to his lips, tracking the movement.

"Well, I wanted to open a restaurant," Jared says, clearing his throat. "Someone crossed those plans though."

"Sorry?" Jensen says with a grin. 

"I don't mind too much," Jared says with a wink. "We'll find a different location."

"Yeah?"

"Sure. Don't worry about it," Jared waves him off. "So, anyway, today's about you, not me. You nervous yet?"

Jensen shrugs. "A little," he admits. 

"It'll be fine. The place will be packed. The free shot alone will draw people in," Jared says.

"I'm still not sure I like that idea," Jensen says. "I don't have the money to hand out free drinks to everyone."

Jared rolls his eyes. "You have to offer people something if you want them to come. You'll make up for it in the course of the night."

"And if they don't? If I end up even more in debt than I was before?"

Jared sighs and stands up. He leans over the bar, cupping Jensen's face in his hands, and draws him into a short kiss. "I promise you you won't," he says. "Okay?"

"What if you're wrong?" Jensen asks, swaying forward for another kiss.

"Then I'll owe you."

"Owe me what?" Jensen murmurs the words against Jared's lips between small, sweet kisses.

"Anything you want," Jared replies, and Jensen moans when Jared's hands cups the back of his neck, holding him in place, and Jared's tongue licks at his lips, hot and wet. Heat curls in his stomach, and he suddenly almost wishes Jared's wrong, just so he can collect Jared's debt.

+

Jared, of course, ends up being right. Jensen is so busy that he barely has time for more than a quick wave when Jared comes in that night, an hour after Jensen opens the bar.

He startles when Jared jumps over the end of the counter with a grin.

"What are you doing?" Jensen asks, and keeps drawing the beer for a customer. 

Jared walks up to him, hand brushing over Jensen's back as he passes. "Helping," he says.

"What?" 

"You could obviously need another helping hand here, Jen," Jared explains, and then turns to a group of girls standing at the counter with a wide smile. "What can I get you, ladies?"

Jensen is frozen in his spot for a moment, wants to jump into Jared's arms and kiss him breathless, but then he just shakes his head and grins to himself, going back to work.

"Is that him?" Danneel asks later when Jensen places a cocktail in front of her.

"Yeah," Jensen replies, not even pretending not to know what she's talking about. 

She grins, eying Jared. "He's a keeper."

"Danneel."

"I know, I know. You've only been on one date, you're not in love with him, yadda yadda," she says, waving him off. 

Jensen glares at her and is almost glad when another customer appears next to Danneel.

+

"You need to hire another bartender," Danneel says, looking through Jensen's drawers. "You have a spatula somewhere?"

Jensen pushes her aside, getting the spatula from the drawer, and stirs the scrambled eggs before they burn. "I'm doing okay on my own."

"No, you're not. You were fine before when you barely had any customers, but it's too much for one person by now, Jen."

"You don't know if it'll stay that way though," Jensen points out. "And then I'd have one more person to pay and no money."

"It's been going pretty well for two weeks now," Danneel argues, putting toasts onto plates. "The bar is busy. And you're going to run yourself ragged doing everything by yourself."

Jensen frowns. "I'm fine. And Tom is helping out sometimes."

"But not always. You're running back and forth behind the bar all night, only taking breaks to collect glasses from the tables. You're being unreasonable."

"You're being pushy."

"Bite me," Danneel says, and takes the spatula from Jensen. She scoops eggs and bacon onto their plates. "Plus, you barely have any time to date."

"So that's where you're coming from," Jensen says with a grin. "I don't need you to meddle with my relationship."

"So it's a relationship now?"

"No, it's not," Jensen quickly replies, and makes a face. 

He's met Jared for lunch twice more since their first date, and Jared drops by the bar regularly, but that's pretty much it. They kiss when they part, but haven't progressed any further. Part of Jensen is glad, because it's all new and he's still confused over how to feel about Jared, but another part of him is getting antsy. Jensen isn't good at dating and he feels like a fish out of water sometimes when he sits across from Jared and tries to make conversation. What he's good at is sex, and he wishes they'd get to that part already. Chances are, Jared's only interested in getting into his pants anyway and won't bother with Jensen after that anymore.

"I have a friend of a friend. Matt's a bartender," Danneel says, breaking him out of his reverie. "He'd be interested in the position."

"Would he now?" Jensen asks. 

"He doesn't like the place he's working at right now. I mentioned your bar and he asked if you had any openings."

"And you told him what exactly?"

"To come by?" Danneel says, trying to look innocent and sweet.

Jensen sighs, shoulders slumping. "Danneel..."

"He's a nice guy. You'd like him," she promises. "And it'd be good for you. I'm sure Jared would agree with me."

"So you're teaming up against me now? You don't even know him."

Danneel shrugs. "But you seem to listen to him. You trust him, that's good enough."

"I don't," Jensen argues.

"Oh please, Jensen. Every single idea he had, you went with it. You changed the whole bar just because he told you to. And he was absolutely right. Plus, you agreed to go out with him. When's the last time you dated someone, huh?"

"He's just...persuasive."

"And you like him," Danneel says. "I'm happy for you. He's been good for you so far."

"How so?" Jensen grumbles.

"Come on, anyone can see that you're so much more happy since you met him. Well, the first couple of weeks excluded, anyway. Also, I saw him."

"So?"

Danneel grins. "Guy is like a walking wet dream, all those muscles and height. And that smile."

Jensen spears some eggs with his fork, his lips twitching into a smile even as he tries to fight it. "He's pretty easy on the eyes," he agrees.

Danneel laughs. "Yeah. See? You have to give him a shot. How often is some gorgeous, rich guy going to waltz into your bar and sweep you off your feet?"

"I never said I wasn't giving it a shot."

"Well, then, hire Matt so you can actually spend some time with your boyfriend," Danneel says, pointing at him with her fork. "And I _know_. He's not your boyfriend."

"He's not," Jensen agrees. 

"Well, he will be," Danneel promises.

+

The more Jensen thinks about what Danneel said, he has to admit she's right. Guys like Jared don't just stumble into your life that often – especially not if you're Jensen Ackles and don't have much of a social life to begin with. He gets propositioned often enough, but usually by women. And if it's men, they're more often than not interested in either sex or free drinks only. It's been a while since someone's been interested in _Jensen_. 

Jared's really trying though. Hell, he helped Jensen turn the bar around and that alone is more than any other guy has ever done for Jensen. It's kind of sweet how much effort Jared is putting into them, and with each day some of Jensen's resolve crumbles, another one of his walls gets broken down. 

And maybe it's time to let it happen. Jared's been trying, and Jensen has let him, but he hasn't really given much in return, hasn't really made any effort to make time and make space for Jared in his life, but he thinks he should. He should give a relationship, this relationship, a chance, to allow himself to have something more in his life than just his work. 

He hires Matt three days later.


	2. Chapter 2

Jared leaves Jensen a message on his cell phone Friday afternoon about a design for a new sign for outside of the bar. Jensen doesn't listen to it until Saturday morning when he gets up after a long night.

"Just come by my place if you want to have a look at it," Jared says on the message and rattles off his address. 

He feels a little weird that Jared keeps helping him, keeps doing things for him without being asked, but he has to admit that Jared is usually right. And the old, faded sign outside really needs to be replaced, the paint peeling and looking more and more unappealing. His only worry is the money he's going to owe Jared by the end of this. The amount of money Jensen owes him for the new furniture and renovations alone is making his stomach flip unpleasantly.

Jensen showers and gets dressed, has a bagel and coffee for breakfast even though it's noon already, and then looks up buses online. Jared lives in the swanky part of the city and Jensen's only passed through there a few times. He jots down a few street names so he won't get lost, and checks himself over in the mirror one more time before leaving.

"Jensen!" Jared says when he opens the door for him, looking pleasantly surprised.

"Hey," Jensen replies and lifts his hand in a wave. "You said I could come by."

"Of course. Come on in," Jared says, and steps aside. There are voices coming from somewhere in the apartment, and Jensen frowns.

"I can come back another time if you have company."

"It's just my family," Jared says. He rests his hand between Jensen's shoulder blades and steers him further into the apartment. "They came for a surprise visit."

"From Texas?" Jensen asks.

Jared shrugs. "It was my birthday this week."

Jensen halts, turning around to face Jared. "You didn't tell me," he says, and he sounds a little accusing.

"I didn't think you'd care," Jared replies, voice teasing. "It's not a big deal, really. I'm not a huge fan of birthdays, and you've been busy with work all week."

"Still," Jensen insists. "You should have told me. We're, uh, you know, dating."

His heart starts beating faster the second the words are out. They are dating, but Jensen's been careful not to put any label on it, not to slip up in front of Jared. He looks up at Jared, feeling nervous, and relaxes when he sees the smile on Jared's face. 

"Okay, sorry," Jared says. He dips down and kisses Jensen softly. 

Jensen slides his hands around Jared's waist, fisting them in the material at Jared's shirt and angles his head up, deepening the kiss. Jared makes a happy noise against his mouth, wrapping his own arms around Jensen's waist and pulling him closer.

They're both a little breathless when they part, and Jared's cheeks are flushed. He licks his lips, as if to savor the taste, and grins down at Jensen. "That was one hell of a birthday present," he says, and Jensen laughs.

"Happy belated birthday," he says, and Jared beams and leans in for another kiss.

They jump apart when someone clears their throat. There's a woman in her mid-fifties standing in the hallway, looking at them with amusement.

"Hey mom," Jared says, sounding a little embarrassed.

"Oh," Jensen says, and quickly steps back from Jared. "Hi, Mrs. Padalecki. I'm so sorry about that."

"Oh, that's fine, dear," she says with a laugh and waves him off. "You must be Jensen."

"Yes," Jensen replies slowly and looks at Jared questioningly.

"Jared didn't tell us you'd come by."

"I shouldn't have dropped by unannounced. Sorry. I only came to look at a design Jared made for me," Jensen quickly says.

"I told you to come by any time," Jared points out. 

"Oh well, either way," Jared's mom chimes in and waves them both off. "You are staying for lunch, aren't you? Jared's dad is barbequing. You like ribs and steaks, right?"

"Sure. But I wouldn't want to intrude," Jensen quickly says.

"You wouldn't," both Jared and his mother say at the same time, and Jared's mom laughs.

"See, you're outvoted. Come on in, I want to get to get to know the man my son can't stop talking about," she says, waving Jensen down the hallway. "Get Jensen a drink, would you, dear?"

"Sure, Mom," Jared replies. 

Jensen gives him a look, but Jared smiles at him reassuringly, and Jensen follows Jared's mom into the living room. Jensen's never been in Jared's apartment, and he feels a little overwhelmed all of a sudden. He'd never thought the first time he'd be here would be for a barbeque with Jared's whole family, and he feels more than a little wary. Jared's mother seems nice enough, but she's wearing jewelry that probably costs more than The Whiskey Sour is worth, and though Jared's place is decorated tastefully, the size alone intimidates Jensen a little. He sits down on Jared's couch gingerly, and hopes he's not leaving stains anywhere with his ratty, old boots. He should have asked Jared if he wanted Jensen to take them off.

"So, Jared tells us you own a bar?" Jared's mother asks, and Jensen cringes.

"Yeah," he replies, and waits for a scalding answer.

"Oh, too bad we're only staying until tomorrow. But the next time we're in town, you've got to invite us, Jensen. I'd really love to see where you work."

Jensen barely keeps from gaping, and just nods instead. "It's just a normal bar, really. Nothing fancy."

"Do you have a dance floor?"

Jensen shrugs. "There's some room to dance, yeah. Most people just come to hang out, but some dance."

"Hmm, I met Gerald in this old honky tonk bar in Texas, you know? He asked me to dance with him and that was that," Mrs. Padalecki tells him, a fond smile on his face. She reminds Jensen of Jared, suddenly, the way she smiles and the sparkle in her eyes. He relaxes a little then, smiles back at her more genuinely. 

"Are you regaling him with stories already?" Jared asks, suddenly appearing next to Jensen. He hands him a beer and sinks down on the couch next to Jensen, close enough that they're pressed together. "My mom loves to tell stories. She won't shut up once she starts."

"Oh, stop it, Jared," Mrs. Padalecki says, shooting an exaggerated glare at Jared. "You want Jensen to have a good impression of me, don't you?"

"Of course, Momma," Jared replies dutifully, and grins at Jensen.

Jensen's not sure what to think about Jared's mother just yet, but the easy banter and familiar Texas twang remind him of his own family and it puts him at ease. He tenses a few minutes later when who he assumes must be Jared's dad comes in, looking surprised when he spies Jensen. Jensen gets up quickly and introduces himself, sticking out his hand to shake. To his surprise, Jared's dad smiles at him and seems happy to meet him.

By the end of the lunch, both of Jared's parents insist Jensen should call them by their first names and Jared's siblings keep trying to tell Jensen embarrassing stories about Jared while Jared tries to make them shut up. Not once do they make Jensen feel like he's less than they are, the poor owner of a small bar with a monthly income that barely keeps him alive. Instead, they make him feel welcomed, as if his place is at Jared's side, and when Jared takes his hand after he's finished eating, lacing their fingers together and smiling happily at Jensen, Jensen starts to think that maybe it really is.

+

Jensen lifts the last chair onto the table and wipes his hands on his jeans, turning around. Jared is just finishing wiping down the counter, and he grins when he meets Jensen's eyes.

"Done," he says, coming out from behind the bar.

"Thanks for the help." Jensen walks up to Jared, wrapping his arms around Jared's neck when Jared catches him by the waist and pulls him close.

"My pleasure," he says and leans down for a kiss. Jensen kisses him back eagerly, feeling himself go pliant in Jared's arms, all the tension of a busy night draining from his shoulders. It's only been a few weeks, and he already feels addicted to Jared's kisses. 

Jared tugs him closer, flush up against Jared's body, and hums into the kiss happily. It turns into a moan when Jared's hands travel down, cupping his ass and squeezing it in his big, strong palms.

Jensen pulls back, his breath a little short, and rests his forehead against Jared's. His mind is whirling, his whole body tight with anticipation. "Come home with me," he murmurs.

"Jensen," Jared replies, voice soft, and he tilts his head for a soft kiss. "You sure?"

Jensen grins up at Jared and nods. "Pretty damn sure," he says.

Jared chuckles. "Okay then," he agrees. "Let's go."

Jensen's never been more glad that he lives only a couple of short blocks away from the bar. They walk, strides fast, and their hands are intertwined between them.

The moment the door of Jensen's apartment falls shut between them, Jensen is on Jared, pressing him up against a wall and kissing him hungrily. They tug and pull at their clothes, dropping items onto the floor carelessly, as they stumble their way to Jensen's bedroom.

They're both naked by the time they tumble onto Jensen's bed, hands mapping out skin and lips still locked together. Jensen arches helplessly up against Jared, trying to get as much friction as he can and he's rock hard already. Jared's body feels amazing on top of his, all muscles and smooth, hot skin, pressing Jensen into the mattress.

Jared breaks the kiss with a wet sound and looks down at him with dark eyes. "You have no idea how much I want you," he murmurs, and Jensen lets out a choked laugh.

"I think I do," he hisses, and bucks up, his erection pushing against Jared's hip.

Jared grins and hums low in his throat. "Hmm, yeah, maybe you do," he agrees. 

He pushes one knee between Jensen's, nudging them apart and Jensen spreads his legs obediently. They both gasp when Jared shifts so he's lying between Jensen's legs, their cocks pressed together between their bodies. Jared rocks them together, and Jensen wraps one leg around Jared's waist, pulling him in tighter.

"Fuck, Jen," Jared growls. He slides his hands along Jensen's shoulders, down his arms, and then wraps long fingers around Jensen's wrists. He pushes Jensen's arms up, pinning them above Jensen's head. "Okay?" he asks, voice low.

"'s good," Jensen murmurs, and his eyes flutter close when Jared leans down, trailing soft, brief kisses down Jensen's throat while grinding against him. Jensen lets out a startled yelp when Jared suddenly bites into the flesh where Jensen's shoulder and neck meet, a short, sharp sting before Jared kisses the skin soothingly.

Jensen's cock is throbbing between them, smearing pre-come over both of their stomachs. "Jared," he groans, and turns his head, baring more of his neck to Jared's mouth. "Please. Please, I want you to fuck me."

"I will," Jared promises. He licks a stripe up Jensen's throat, sucking at the spot behind Jensen's ear, drawing a loud moan from Jensen.

He presses Jensen's wrist tighter together, grabbing them with just one hand, and Jensen shudders when he feels the barest brush of fingers down his side. Jared worms his hand between their bodies then, wrapping it around Jensen's dick. 

"Jared!" Jensen gasps. Jared shifts until he's kneeling, taking his weight of Jensen's body and Jensen moans brokenly when Jared starts jerking him off.

"Come on," Jared urges, lips against Jensen's ear and he presses wet kisses to his skin. "Come on, Jen. Come for me."

"Want you inside me," Jensen protests, but he thrusts up into Jared's hand and Jared speeds the movement of his hand up, jerking him hard and fast and just right.

"We got all night," Jared murmurs. "Come on. Let go."

It's like heat rolling through his body, spreading and burning, and Jared kisses the moans right out of his mouth when Jensen comes, spilling come between them.

He slumps back onto the mattress, boneless, and Jared lets go of his wrists. He peppers kisses to the corner of Jensen's lips, his jaw, and when both hands grab Jensen's waist and nudge him gently, Jensen lets Jared roll him over onto his stomach. 

His mind is hazy, and he lets his eyes slide shut, listening to Jared shift around, shuffling noises as he moves. The mattress dips, and Jensen hums when he feels Jared's lips brush over his nape softly.

Jared gently pushes one of Jensen's legs up and to the side so Jensen's legs are splayed out, and Jensen lets out a startled gasp when he suddenly feels a cold, slick finger press between his ass cheeks, against his entrance. Jared doesn't push in, just rests the tip of fingers against it, and the fog in Jensen's mind clears, his eyes snapping back open.

"Good?" Jared asks.

"Fuck yeah," Jensen groans. "Do it."

Jared pushes in without further hesitation. It's been a while since Jensen has been with anyone, and he has to adjust to the feeling of having something inside again at first. When Jared adds another finger, there's a small twinge, a soft burn, but Jensen welcomes it. He loves the way it turns into pleasure as Jared opens him up slowly, stretching and twisting, sure fingers finding his prostate. Jensen's body seems to have recovered from the first orgasm, his cock growing slowly hard again. 

He tries to rock back onto Jared's fingers, but Jared presses his other hand to the small of Jensen's back, holding him in place.

"Just let me," he murmurs, voice deep, his thumb stroking small circles at the swell of Jensen's ass. He pushes his fingers in and out, rubbing against Jensen's inner walls almost lazily now. Jensen can feel the slickness of the lube, the way his hole relaxes around Jared gradually and the third finger slides in easily. It feels amazing, yet not nearly enough, a promise of what's to come, and Jensen moans.

"Shh, I got you," Jared hushes, leaning down to press a kiss to Jensen's neck just as his fingers find Jensen's sweet stop again, pressing against it insistently.

"Jared," Jensen cries out. "God, just fuck me already. Want you so bad."

"Don't wanna hurt you," Jared replies, sounding soft and sweet, and Jensen would laugh if he wasn't so turned on.

"Then stop teasing me," he growls, and Jared huffs out a laugh.

"You're so damn bossy," he mumbles, but he pulls his fingers out with a wet pop. He shuffles back, and Jensen gets up on his elbows and knees, bending forward so his ass is in the air and he feels a thrill of satisfaction when he hears a muffled groan come from Jared. He wiggles his ass playfully.

"Come on. Enough waiting," he urges. The sound of Jared ripping open a condom wrapper is loud in the air, and Jensen feels anticipation pool in his stomach. 

The first brush of Jared's cock against his entrance makes him shudder a little. He spreads his legs as far as Jared's knees on either side of him let him and groans when Jared presses into him. It hurts more than Jensen expected and he's glad when Jared gives him a moment to adjust before sliding in further. He takes it slow, inch by inch, until he's fully sheathed inside, balls brushing against Jensen's ass. Jared had looked big, but now, inside of Jensen, he feels even bigger, and as the pain of the initial intrusion fades away, Jensen rocks back experimentally and moans. He feels incredibly full, stretched tight around Jared.

"Fuck, Jensen," Jared groans, hands grabbing Jensen's hips. He begins to rock in and out with small movements at first, drawing back a little further each time, and Jensen curls his fingers into the sheets, gasping.

"You feel so good," Jared murmurs, and his voice cracks around a moan. "So tight, babe."

He pulls out further, almost all the way, and slides back in with one smooth thrust, even deeper than before. Jensen feels like all the air is being pushed out of his lungs, Jared's cock dragging against his prostate with each push inside.

As hurried as Jensen's first orgasm was, Jared takes his time now, sending sparks of pleasure down Jensen's spine as he fucks him with slow, precise snaps of his hip. Jensen feels like he's bursting, pleasure making his head spin and keeping him on edge, but it's not enough to come.

He gasps Jared's name, rocking back on him, the muscles in his thighs shaking.

Jared leans over him, chest pressed against Jensen's back, and kisses Jensen's neck wetly. "So incredible," he murmurs, and one of his hands covers Jensen's, squeezing it tightly. "So good."

"God yes," Jensen replies breathlessly. The change in position makes Jared slide in at a slightly different angle, puts more pressure on Jensen's prostate, and he gasps when Jared thrusts in a little harder. 

"So close," Jared hisses, his rhythm faltering. "Gonna come, Jen."

"Yeah, come on," Jensen says, and he clenches his ass around Jared's dick. Jared moans into Jensen's ear, and when Jensen repeats the motion, Jared sinks his teeth into Jensen's curve of Jensen's neck hard enough to hurt. He can feel Jared come, body shuddering, and he pulls his hand free, reaching for his cock and finishing himself off with a few hard strokes.

They collapse into a heap, Jared's weight pinning Jensen down and Jared presses his sweaty forehead against Jensen's neck.

+

Jensen's sprawled half on top of Jared when he wakes up, his head pillowed on Jared's shoulder and one of his legs wedged between Jared's. He can feel the steady beat of Jared's heart beneath his palm, where it's resting on Jared's chest, and he blinks lazily. He tries to lie still, soak in the moment, but eventually the need to pee wins out and he carefully moves off of Jared.

"Jen," Jared mumbles, body rolling to the side and hands grabbing for Jensen sluggishly.

"I'll be right back," Jensen says softly, and Jared makes a content noise.

Jensen relieves himself quickly and then washes his hands, splashing some cold water onto his face. He feels sore in the best way possible, and well-rested, and he has to smile when he sees his reflection in the mirror. His hair is a mess, and there's a bite mark where his neck curves into his shoulder and dried come on his stomach.

Jared's awake when Jensen returns, thin sheets pulled up to his stomach, arms curled above his head and staring up at the ceiling. Jensen closes the bathroom door with a soft snick, and Jared startles a little, looking at him with a smile. He stretches and groans before he rolls onto his side.

"Good morning," he says, lifting the sheets to let Jensen slide beneath them again.

"Morning," Jensen replies and leans in for a soft kiss. "Slept well?"

"Fantastic," Jared says with a happy grin, and he cups the back of Jensen's neck, pulling him in for another kiss. 

Jensen only pulls back reluctantly, stroking a strand of hair out of Jared's face. "We really need a shower," he says, and Jared laughs.

"Yeah," he agrees. "And breakfast. I'm starving."

"I have some eggs, I think. Maybe some bacon, too," Jensen says, and Jared hums contently.

"Perfect," he says, and sits up, sheets pooling at his waist. He runs a hand through his hair, only making the strands stick up more, and Jensen laughs. He heaves himself up and smoothes Jared's hair down before kissing him again.

"Okay, come on," Jensen says, standing up.

Jared follows him into the bathroom and leans against the sink as Jensen turns on the water and lets it heat up. They cram into the small shower stall together, leaving barely enough room to move, but Jared doesn't complain. He just pulls Jensen into a wet kiss and his hands follow the path the water takes down Jensen's back.

+

"Your place is," Jared starts, leaning against the cabinets and watching Jensen stir the scrambled eggs. He'd offered to help, but Jensen had pressed a mug of coffee into his hands and told him he was the guest.

"Small?" Jensen offers.

Jared laughs. "Yeah, that too. But I wanted to say, well, impersonal?"

Jensen glances around the apartment, the small kitchen separated from the just as small living room with a counter, as if he's seeing everything for the first time. "I guess," he admits.

"It's not bad," Jared says quickly, and Jensen's lips twitch into a smile.

"You can say it's bad, that you don't like it. I don't care," he says.

Jared frowns at him. "Yeah, okay, I don't get that. This is your home."

Jensen shrugs. "It's not that important to me."

"Yeah, I suppose that explains it. I mean, nothing here's really you. And there are cardboard boxes still in your bedroom."

"They're from moving. I just never bothered to unpack them, I guess."

"And when was that?" Jared asks, sounding suspicious.

Jensen gives him a sheepish look. "Three years ago."

"Three years ago," Jared echoes. "Wow."

"I just never really cared," Jensen replies with a shrug. He scoops the eggs onto the two plates he's set out, adding the bacon that's been sizzling in a second pan. "I sleep and eat here. I'm at the bar most of the time. I'm more at home there than here, really."

"Okay, I guess I get that. I just think homes are supposed to be, you know, homey," Jared explains. "It's where you're supposed to feel comfortable, somewhere you can relax and unwind."

Jensen rubs at his chin with his thumb. "I just never really cared, I guess, because I don't spend enough time here to be bothered by it," he says with a shrug.

"Well, maybe that'll change," Jared says, sounding hopeful. "I mean, what with Matt helping out now maybe you won't be at the bar as much anymore more."

"That's what I hired him for," Jensen agrees. "If things continue to go well enough that I can pay him."

"Good thing your boyfriend's an advertising genius," Jared says with a grin, and Jensen's stomach swoops at the word.

"Boyfriend, huh?" he repeats, his voice softer than he intended.

Jared leans over, kissing Jensen sweetly. "Yeah," he says, and Jensen smiles.

+

"One Mojito and two Screwdrivers," a tall blond woman orders, giving Jensen a wide smile with her blood-red lips.

"Sure thing," Jensen replies and winks at her. He sets about making the drinks, glancing at Matt drawing beers for a group of guys. He's fitting in nicely, working easily alongside Jensen and all too happy to flirt with the female customers, and a few of the guys too, which makes him pretty popular with the crowd. 

He serves the girls the three drinks, and gives her an extra wide smile when she tips him generously.

"Well, hi there, sexy," a female voice says from the left, and Jensen turns to her with a grin.

"Hi back, gorgeous," he says and leans over the counter to press a kiss to Danneel's cheek. "Good to see you."

"Thought I'd drop by for a drink or two," she says. 

"Alone?"

"Nah, with a nice, young gentleman," she says with a wide smile. "He's looking for a table for us."

"A date, huh?" he asks.

"Well, now that my best friend is in a relationship I thought maybe I should find someone for myself as well," Danneel says, and twists a strand of hair around her finger.

"You serious about this one?" he asks, and Danneel laughs.

"Serious enough," she replies easily. "So, if tonight is anything to go by things are going pretty well?"

Jensen nods. "Can't complain," he says.

"Good," Danneel says and gives him another happy smile. "Well, I don't want to keep you from doing your job. People are getting restless."

"Matt's got it under control," Jensen assures her. "But you probably don't wanna keep your guy waiting."

"True," she admits. "Give me two Whiskey Sour."

"Will you ever order something else?" Jensen asks with an exaggerated sigh, and Danneel smirks. It's been her go-to drink since Jared convinced Jensen to offer cocktails.

"But it's so appropriate," she says, waving her hand around the bar.

"You also end up hammered when you drink those," Jensen grumbles but he grabs whiskey, lemon juice, syrup, and ice.

"So, how're things with Jared?" Danneel asks as Jensen pours the ingredients into the shaker.

"Fine," Jensen replies, smiling involuntarily, then admits, "Pretty great, actually."

"That's good," Danneel says, watching him shake the cocktails swiftly. "Right?"

Jensen glances up at her and nods. "Yeah, that's good," he agrees. He pours the drinks into the tumblers and garnishes them, sliding them over the counter to Danneel.

"Seems like you finally turning around for the better, huh?" 

Jensen smiles at her. "Yeah, I guess so," he says softly.

+

"Get me the wine, would you?" Jared asks, holding out is hand as he stirs the sauce in the pan. The whole kitchen smells like food, and Jensen's stomach grumbles.

He gets the white wine from the fridge and hands it to Jared. He watches him pour some into the thick, creamy mushroom sauce, and then Jared turns to top of Jensen's glass.

"If this tastes even half as good as it smells I'm gonna make you cook for me every day," Jensen says.

"I hope it does," Jared says. He puts a lid on the pan, turning the heat down further, and Jensen watches him check the other pots and pans. When Jared invited him over for dinner, Jensen expected take-out, or maybe a couple of burgers on the grill, but Jared's apparently going all out.

"I'm pretty sure it will," Jensen replies, and takes a sip of his wine. Jared grins at him, happy, and he winds his hands around Jensen's waist, pulling him close. He leans down for a kiss, slow and sweet, sliding his tongue past Jensen's parted lips, and Jensen sighs into it, pushing up into the kiss.

They part with a few more quick pecks, and Jared swipes his thumb over Jensen's lower lip. 

"Wanna head over the table already while I serve us the food?" Jared suggests. 

"Okay," Jensen agrees, and gives Jared one more quick kiss. He takes their wine glasses with them, sitting down at the table. 

Jared joins him a minute later with two plates with chicken breasts with mushroom cream sauce, green asparagus and tagliatelle. He takes the seat across from Jensen. 

"Dig in," he says with a grin, and Jensen does. 

"Mmm," he moans when he takes the first bite. "This is amazing. God, where'd you learn to cook like this?"

Jared shrugs, looking pleased. "I always liked cooking. And Misha's taught me a lot," he says. "He's the friend I mentioned who I want to open the restaurant with."

"He's a cook, right?"

"Yeah. Pretty good one. I'm gonna have to take you to his next dinner party," Jared says. "You'd like him. And he's been telling me that he wants to be introduced."

"Oh," Jensen says. "Okay, sure."

"You don't have to. He's kinda noisy, is all. And I've been talking about you a little, maybe."

Jensen grins, feeling a thrill at the thought. "Yeah?"

"Well, more than a little, possibly," Jared admits, and smiles at Jensen over the rim of his wine glass. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty gone over you."

"Jared," Jensen starts. He fiddles with his fork, and returns Jared's smile softly. "I, uh, well. Me too."

Jared knocks their feet together under the table, bracketing one of Jensen's with his own. "I was hoping you'd say that," he says, and Jensen feels a flutter in his stomach. He hasn't felt this way about anyone since he met Marc in college, except this is different. With Jared, it feels real.

+

"My mom says hi, by the way," Jared says, coming out of the kitchen with two beers and a bowl of popcorn. He puts everything on the table and flops down next to Jensen.

"Tell her hi back," Jensen replies automatically.

"Tell her yourself," Jared shoots back. "And while you're at it you, can tell her when you're going to visit them in Texas with me."

"What?" Jensen asks. 

"She wants us to visit." Jared shrugs, grabbing the remote from next to Jensen's lap, starting the DVD. "I told her you were pretty busy with the bar right now, but she's not going to accept a no forever."

"Right." Jensen gives Jared a look, and Jared huffs out a laugh.

"Don't look like I just told you someone killed your puppy."

"You told me your parents want me to visit," Jensen replies. 

"You already met them. They like you. Believe me, you've got their approval," Jared assures him, leaning over to kiss Jensen's cheek. "That's exactly why they want us to visit them."

"In Texas," Jensen adds, and grimaces. Jared looks at him for a moment, stilling.

"You haven't been back for a while," he states, voice softer, and he pauses the movie again.

"Not since I came out."

"Jensen." Jared scoots closer, resting his forehead against Jensen's temple for a moment before pressing a kiss to the same spot, pulling Jensen close. Jensen goes with it. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I just. I made my peace with it a while go. I didn't think I'd ever have a reason to go back."

"It's not like you'd have to see your family," Jared starts, but Jensen can feel the hesitation.

"But," he prompts.

"Have you ever thought about talking to them? Really talking to them?"

"I tried once," Jensen admits. "After grandpa died. They were here for the funeral. I'd come out to them three years before that and I thought maybe they just needed some time to adjust, that maybe after three years they'd come to terms with it."

"They hadn't," Jared guesses, and Jensen snorts.

"No," he says. "We talked a little, you know, small talk. It was awkward, but okay. And then I mentioned that I was living with a friend. It wasn't even anyone I was dating, just a buddy, but my dad wouldn't even let me finish my sentence. Just said they didn't want to know about my _friends_."

"They have no idea what they're missing out on," Jared murmurs, and Jensen tilts his head up.

"Yeah?" he asks, and suddenly he feels like that college kid again, scared and lonely, let down by the world when his parents couldn't even look him in the eyes anymore after he came out. The kid who'd just wanted someone to hold him close, tell him everything would be okay, that he was fine the way he was. That he was still _loved_.

"I don't even think you have any idea how great you are," Jared says softly, rubbing his thumb over Jensen's cheek and pulling him into a brief kiss.

+

"I have something for you," Jensen says, twisting around in bed and reaching for his jeans.

"Jensen," Jared mutters, sliding his hands around Jensen's waist and tugging him back. "Leave that for later. You're killing my afterglow here."

Jensen snorts. "You've had thirty minutes of afterglow." 

He pulls his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans.

"Then maybe I'm ready for round two and you're killing the mood." Jared kisses the back of Jensen's neck, sliding his arms around Jensen's waist, stroking one palm down Jared's stomach. 

"Jared. One second, okay?" Jensen says, opening his wallet and pulling out the check he'd written that afternoon.

"It's already 4 a.m.," Jared reminds him. "And I actually have to show up at work tomorrow."

Jensen twists around in Jared's arms, holding the check out in front of Jared's face. Jared's eyes cross as he looks at it, and he takes it from Jensen.

"What's this?"

"The first installment of the money I owe you. It's not a lot yet, but I figured it's better than nothing. We never discussed when I would pay you back, but I was hoping you'd be okay with me paying you back bit by bit?"

Jared puts the check on the nightstand before leaning in for a quick kiss. "I don't care when you pay me back or how. Whenever you have the money."

"I want to pay you back as soon as possible," Jensen says.

"Whatever works for you," Jared says, waving him off, and he kisses Jensen again. "Now, I believe I mentioned another round?"

"Yeah, I think you did," Jensen agrees.

+

Some days, Jensen feels like he's dreaming. Every night he opens the bar and expects no one to come in, but each night the turnout is good and Jensen's financial situation is starting to improve, the bar actually turning a profit.

This is what he's been wanting for the bar for years and the job is finally starting to be fun again. He thinks his granddad would be proud of him, of what the bar has turned into. Jensen loved how it used to be, because it reminded him of his grandfather, of the many times he'd visited him there and watched him work behind the bar, but the changes had been necessary, and he thinks his grandpa wouldn't have minded, would have wanted Jensen to do his own thing and be happy. And he is. For the first time in years, he's happy. He'd never even realized he hadn't been, but it's like his life has been turned around. 

He looks forward to going to work, and even more he looks forward to going home now. Home with Jared, who drops by the bar most nights and then walks home with him. Jensen likes waking up with Jared, even when Jared wakes him up way too early when he has to go into work, or when Jared somehow talks him into going for a run with him. He likes that Jared cooks for him, and Jensen's finally stopped living on ramen noodles and frozen pizzas. He likes Jared surprising him during the day, coming by just to spend some time with him. And he likes the sex, likes how Jared can make him forget everything else in the world, can reduce Jensen to a writhing, moaning mess with kisses and touches and words.

If anyone would ask Jensen what he would want to change about his life right now, he's pretty sure his answer would be nothing, because he can't imagine anything better than this.

+

"You ever had sex in the bar?" Jared ask, tugging Jensen close to him with one arm around his waist. Jensen tries to wiggle away, laughing.

"Seriously?" he asks, pushing at Jared's chest with one hand, the other one still holding the list he's been jotting down of things they need to stock up on.

"What? I was merely asking you a question," Jared replies, looking innocent. Jensen doesn't buy the act for one second.

"Well, the answer is no."

"No, you haven't. Or are you implying 'no, you won't'?" Jared pouts playfully, backing Jensen up against a table.

"I'm trying to work here," Jensen says, but he tilts his head up when Jared leans in for kiss.

"Later," Jared murmurs, and brushes their lips together. He cups Jensen's face with one hand, swiping his tongue over Jensen's bottom lip, and Jensen opens up, the list flittering to the floor.

"We shouldn't," he says when they break apart, and he presses wet kisses to Jared's throat. 

"Why not? It's your bar," Jared replies with a soft chuckle. His hands slide down Jensen's back, cupping his ass, and Jensen yelps when he's suddenly being lifted up onto the table.   
Jared looks at him with a mischievous grin. "You can't tell me you've never wanted to," he says, stepping between Jensen's legs.

Jensen laughs throatily. "Never said that," he replies. He wraps his arms around Jared's neck and tugs him close, kissing him. Lips slide together eagerly, and Jensen makes a low, appreciative noise, twisting his fingers in Jared's hair. Out of everything they do together, all the perks that come with being in a relationship, kissing Jared has fast become Jensen's favorite thing. Jared's kisses are always intense, and even when Jared is eager and desperate, there's always something soft in the way he kisses Jensen. Just the barest brush of Jared's lips makes Jensen's heart thunder, makes him feel both excited and calm all at once.

"Jensen," Jared murmurs, his breath ghosting over Jensen's lips, and Jensen licks his lips, leaning in for another kiss. He shudders when one of Jared's hands slides onto his lap, cupping his cock through his jeans. It fills up, hardening as Jared starts moving his hand, slow and sure. Jensen's gasps are being swallowed by Jared's lips covering his and he bucks up into the touch.

The sound of his zipper being undone and the snap of the button are loud in the silence of the bar, and Jensen startles at the sudden rush of cold air on his cock as Jared pulls him out, but it's quickly replaced by heat as Jared wraps his hand around him and strokes him slowly.

He reaches for Jared's slacks, fumbling with the button and zipper, and breaks the kiss, slapping at Jared's hand. "Stop for a second," he pants. "You're distracting me."

Jared chuckles. "Never heard a guy complaining about getting a hand job," he says, but he stills, and lets Jensen work his pants open. They slide down Jared's legs with a soft rustling of fabric, and Jensen quickly pushes the boxer briefs down as well.

"Thought you wanted to fuck me, not give me a hand job," he replies with a grin, and kisses Jared.

"Yeah," Jared mumbles into the kiss, pressing closer so they're chest to chest. "God, wanna get you naked."

"Please," Jensen agrees, and starts by trying to push his shoes off with his feet. He kicks them off carelessly, and they land a few feet away with heavy thuds. They have to stop kissing to wrangle Jensen out of his jeans, though, and Jensen makes a gasping noise when his naked ass makes contact with the smooth wooden surface of the table.

One of Jared's hands trails down his spine, stopping at the swell of Jensen's ass, and he pushes one finger between the crack. The tip of his finger just barely brushes against the rim of Jensen's hole, and a rush of anticipation runs through Jensen.

"Fuck," he hisses. "We need lube."

Jared pulls back. He pecks Jensen on the lips and then untangles himself from Jensen. Jensen watches him bend down, fumble with his discarded slacks. He comes back up with a condom and a small pack of lube, and Jensen can't help the startled laugh.

"You planned this," he accuses.

Jared shrugs, grinning. His hair is disheveled, his cheeks pink, and in that moment there's no trace left of the composed, successful man who strode into the bar a few months ago. He's completely stripped bare of all of that, leaving just Jared – sweet and caring, all boyish charm and exuberance. The man Jensen is so in love with and for a moment the realization startles him, makes his breath catch. It must show on his face, because Jared's happy expression morphs into a frown.

"What's wrong?" he asks, and Jensen quickly shakes his head. He expects panic to set in, but instead there's nothing but a nervous flutter in his stomachs.

"Nothing," he says, and then he laughs, happy. "Nothing. Come here."

He pulls Jared close, kisses him sweetly.

"I feel like I missed something," Jared says, but there's a fond, amused smile on his face.

"I'll tell you later," Jensen promises softly. "Now, come on. You're wasting time. We don't have all day."

Jared chuckles, and kisses Jensen again, before ripping open the pack of lube. He squeezes some onto his fingers and then presses them between Jensen's cheek, sliding one finger in.

He preps Jensen quickly. The first finger gets joined by a second, then a third, pushing in and out of Jensen's hole, curling and twisting until Jensen makes an impatient noise and reaches for the condom.

Jared pulls his fingers out, resting both of his hands on Jensen's spread thighs. Resting his forehead against Jensen's, they both look down, watching Jensen roll the condom down Jared's dick before slicking the rest of the lube over it.

"Fuck, Jay. Can't believe we're doing this here," Jensen murmurs, smiling, and Jared laughs.

"Can't believe you haven't yet," he replies, and his hands slide to the back of Jensen's knees, tugging. Jensen slides forward a little, hooking his legs around Jared's waist. His head tips back, a moan escaping his lips, when Jared presses into him. Jared's fingers dig into Jensen's thighs, and his lips find Jensen's pulse point, sucking and kissing. He starts rocking in and out bit by bit, sliding in just a little deeper each time, until he's thrusting in all the way.

"Jensen," he breathes out, voice torn, and he bends forward, forcing Jensen's body back. "Lay down."

Jensen does, his back and head hitting the table with a soft thud and he arches up, the surface cold against his skin. The new position lets Jared slide in deeper, fuck him a little harder, and Jensen wraps his fingers around Jared's wrists and holds on. He slips back and forth with Jared's movements, his sweat making the table slippery beneath his body, and Jared's hands on him tighten.

Jensen's close to coming, just on the edge of losing it, when Jared suddenly stops and pulls out. Jensen makes a protesting noise, trying to pull Jared back in with his legs, and blinks up at him.

"Jared," he keens, and Jared's panting, flushed, his hands pushing at Jensen's hips.

"Come on. Turn around," he murmurs, and Jensen's too far gone, head spinning, that he just lets Jared manhandle him. Jared pulls him up, lifting him off the table and turning him around. One hand on Jensen's back pushes him back down, and Jensen bends forward, moaning when Jared's dick slides back inside him with one smooth thrust. 

"Feel so good. So tight. God, babe, you have no idea," Jared babbles breathlessly, his body covering Jensen's, skin sticking together with sweat. His lips brushing against the shell of Jensen's ear as he talks, and his voice is a low, deep rumble that makes Jensen shudder. 

Jared reaches around him, wrapping a hand around Jensen's dick, hot and smooth, and he starts stroking him. Jensen thunks his forehead against the table, gasping, and he's torn between thrusting into Jared's hand and rocking back, getting Jared as deep inside of him as possible. He comes seconds later with a startled cry, his whole body taunt and pleasure ripping through him. 

When he blinks, he's slumped over the table and he feels Jared pull out of him carefully, before he's turned around and pulled into Jared's arms. He melts against Jared's body, resting his head in the crook of Jensen's neck.

"I think you fucked me stupid," he murmurs, and he feels the vibrations of Jared's laugh against his body.

"Me too," Jared says. "Think I need a few minutes to recharge."

"'kay," Jensen agrees. He slowly let's go of Jared, sitting on the edge of the table. He can see the slight tremble in Jared's legs as he bends down and pulls his boxer briefs and slacks back up.

"Come on," Jared says, sliding his arms around Jensen's waist and tugging him forward. 

"My jeans," Jensen protests, but he lets Jared pull him to the booth.

"Later," Jared says, sprawling out. 

"Ugh," Jensen says as his skin comes into contact with the leather seats, and Jared chuckles. He pulls at Jensen's arm.

"Come here," he says, and Jensen half crawls and half lets himself be pulled onto Jared's lap, straddling his thighs. He collapses against Jared, feeling tired and content.

"I'm probably messing up your suit," he murmurs.

"I can live with that. I helped you mess up your bar," Jared replies, wrapping his arms around Jensen.

"Guess we're even," Jensen mumbles around a yawn. He could nap like this, sprawled out on top of Jared, he thinks as his eyes slide close.

+

Jensen wakes up alone, sprawled out in Jared's bed. He stretches and yawns, hands reaching for the other side of the bed, but the sheets have gone cold already. Blinking, he halts, listening for any noise, but the apartment is empty and Jensen feels a pang of disappointment. 

He flips onto his back, rubbing his eyes, and glances at the alarm clock on Jared's nightstand. There's a piece of paper propped up against it and Jensen reaches for it with a smile.

_Jen,  
One of our clients is pitching a fit and I had to go into the office  & I didn't want to wake you. There's pancake batter in the fridge (try not to burn my kitchen down!) and the coffee machine is all set, just gotta switch it on. Call me if you want to meet up for lunch.   
Jared_

There's a crooked heart next to Jared's name and it makes Jensen grin. He puts the note aside carefully, and then slides out of bed. It's only 10 a.m., so he figures he has plenty of time to take a long shower first. Jared's master bathroom is at least four times the size of Jensen's, and the spray of the shower is hard and hot, and Jensen steps under it with a content sigh. He lets the hot water loosen his muscles, tipping his head forward, and then soaps his body up, watching the suds being washed away. The smell of Jared's shampoo and shower gel hits his nose, and the thought of smelling like Jared all day excites him. He closes his eyes, breathing in deeply, and slowly slides his hand down his stomach, brushing against his pubes before he wraps his hand around his dick, stroking it to hardness. He jerks himself off slowly, long, languid strokes that make his body tingle.

Afterward, he washes the come off the tiles with a smile on his face and then wraps himself up in one of Jared's big, fluffy towels. He steals a pair of boxer-briefs and a shirt from Jared's closet, pulling his jeans from the night before back on before wandering into the kitchen and preparing his breakfast.

His mug of steaming coffee and a plate of just slightly burned pancakes in his hand, he settles down on the couch in Jared's living room. He switches the TV on just to have some background noise, but barely pays any attention to the local news as he eats. This is how every morning should start, he thinks, only that Jared should be there when he wakes up, showering with him and making the pancakes while Jensen takes care of the coffee. It's their routine when they spend the night together, which happens more often than not, and the thought makes Jensen smile happily.

When the pancakes are eaten, he gets up and pours himself another cup of coffee before settling back down. There are a couple of folders on the coffee table, and Jensen flips through them, recognizing the names of some of Jared's clients. He smiles when he finds a folder labeled _The Whiskey Sour_ in Jared's neat handwriting, and flips it open. He expects to find accounts of everything they've done with the bar so far, maybe new ideas for marketing it, because Jared's always rattling off new things to Jensen, and his heart stops when the first thing he reads as he skims the page is _The Whiskey Sour – Bar & Restaurant_ with a question mark next to it, and the address of Jensen's bar _and_ the building next door scrawled beneath it. The building Jared owns, the one he wanted to turn into a restaurant but needed Jensen's bar for. The plan Jensen had thought Jared had given up on.

He drops the folder, his heart sinking.

+

Jensen ignores his cell when it rings and Jared's name flashes on the screen. He deletes the text that comes a few minutes later without reading it. A few more calls and another batch of texts follow in the next couple of hours and Jensen turns his cell off, sitting on a park bench with a coffee in one hand. He feels hollow, numb. 

He can't even feel angry – not at Jared. It's his own damn fault for falling for the whole thing. After all, this is Jared's job, this is what he's good at – fooling people, making them believe in his words, in his clever lines and promises. And Jensen fell for it hook, line, and sinker. And the worst isn't that Jensen trusted him with his bar, had believed Jared was acting in Jensen's own best interest, was supporting him. The worst is that Jensen let his guard down. That he hadn't just fallen for Jared's business spiel, but for _Jared_. He'd believed that, after all his bad experiences, Jared was someone who he could trust, who maybe even loved him, who he could imagine a life with. He'd thought they'd been building something together. Every single one of Jared's sweet smiles, the way he looked at Jensen, touched him, kissed him, all the attention and affection he'd showered Jensen with – Jensen had lapped it up, basked in it. 

It's the realization that their whole relationship up to this point had been a lie that makes Jensen's heart constrict painfully, his eyes stinging with tears.

"You asshole," he hisses, and feels wet, hot tears slide down his cheeks.

+

Jensen disconnects the phone in the bar and locks the door. He busies himself with putting the chairs down, wiping down the counter needlessly, and checking over the liquors twice. He ignores the banging against the door when it comes, retreating to his office until Jared gives up.

He's not at all surprised when Jared comes in two hours after he opens the bar. What does surprise him is the look on Jared's face – maybe he expected smugness, satisfaction, but Jared looks like he's the one who got hurt and it makes anger well up in Jensen.

"We need to talk," Jared says, leaning against the bar and giving Jensen a pointed look. He's holding the folder from his coffee table in his hand, and Jensen's stomach clenches.

"Matt, can you handle the bar on your own for a while?" Jensen asks, and when Matt nods, a frown on his face, he walks to the door behind the counter, unlocking it. Jared follows him wordlessly, down the small hallways and into the office.

"I'm guessing you're pissed because of this?" Jared asks, holding up the folder when Jensen turns to face him.

"Pissed," Jensen repeats with a hollow laugh. "I'm not sure _pissed_ is the right word."

Jared groans, running a hand through his hair. He slaps the folder onto Jensen's desk. "You're overreacting," he says.

"I'm overreacting? You have got to be fucking kidding me, Jared," Jensen replies, voice raised.

"Jensen." Jared gives him a look, reaching out for him, but Jensen moves away quickly. "Look, I don't think this is what you think it is."

"It's not?" Jensen asks. "Then please, enlighten me. I'd really like to know how this is not you having played me the whole time. And I fell for it. I have to hand it to you, you're clever – I really believed you cared, that you wanted to help me."

Jared opens his mouth to reply, but Jensen waves him off. "You know what, spare me. Just tell me where to sign and I'll do it. I'm sick of fighting you...not that I have a choice anyway."

"Sign what?" Jared asks, looking a little confused.

"Come on, I'm not stupid. You want the bar. I owe you a shitload of money and you know I can't pay you back yet. This is all I have. So, congrats, Jared, the bar is yours. You got what you wanted."

"I don't want the bar," Jared says, voice louder, and he throws up his hands. "Jesus Christ, Jensen, if you'd listen to me for one second I could explain this."

"How?" Jensen asks. "How can you explain this? And I swear to god, if you tell me any other of your pretty lies, I will punch you in your stupid face."

Jared's shoulders slump, and he sighs, sitting down on the edge of the desk. 

"Fuck, Jensen," he mumbles and then breathes in slowly, giving Jensen a pained look. "Remember how we talked about my job? When I told you I wanted to do something else, something I actually enjoyed? That's what the restaurant was about. It still is in a way, but it's different now. When I first started planning the whole thing, I thought I'd put some money into it, handle the business side of it and let Misha deal with the rest. It was, I guess, a project to keep me busy, to keep me entertained. But the last few months, helping you turn this bar around, I realized how much I actually want this. The whole thing. Standing behind the counter with you, chatting with people, serving people their drinks. Hell, I even liked helping with the renovations and mopping the goddamn floor. The day you re-opened and there were so many people and you looked so happy, so relieved, that was probably the most satisfied I've felt in my life."

"So, what, you didn't plan on betraying me at first and then changed your mind?" Jensen asks bitterly, and Jared frowns.

"I'm not betraying you. This," he says, pointing at the folder. "It's nothing but a simple proposal."

"Proposal? It's not like I have a choice but to sign over the bar to you, do I?"

"I don't want you to sign over the fucking bar! Dammit, Jensen," Jared explodes and then he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. I—I didn't mean to yell at you. You're just so damn infuriating sometimes."

Jensen snorts. "Sorry. I'll try not to be me," he says sarcastically, and Jared's lips twitch into a smile.

"I think it's actually what made me fall in love with you," he says, and for a second Jensen's heart speeds up before he glares at Jared.

"Funny way of showing it."

Jared shakes his head slowly. "You know, we could have avoided this fight if you'd just read the whole thing. Or would let me finish explaining," he says, and then shoots up, putting a hand over Jensen's mouth before he can say anything. For a split second Jensen thinks about biting Jared, but the look on Jared's face makes him stand still. "I want us to become partners." 

"What?" Jensen asks when Jared removes his hand.

"The bar is yours, Jensen. I wouldn't take it away from you. Ever," Jared says,

"It says bar and restaurant in that folder. And the address-"

"Is your bar and the building next door," Jared says with a nod. "You'd run the bar, Misha and I would run the restaurant."

"You said it wasn't enough space," Jensen says, feeling confused, but there's hope blooming in his stomach.

"I think maybe a smaller place would work better anyway. When Misha and I started thinking about it, we were going for something big and expensive. I don't want that anymore. I want something a little more personal, more intimate. Like your bar," Jared says, looking at Jensen so earnestly that Jensen feels all of his anger and hurt fade away. "I was thinking – we could join both places. It'll be perfect. People could come to the restaurant and eat, and afterward there's a bar right next door to have a few drinks, or for when they're waiting for a table. Tons of restaurants have their own bar inside for that – this restaurant would have its own bar right next door."

"That's...I thought..."

"You thought I wanted to kick you out of the bar. That was never what I wanted, Jen, not since I started getting to know you," Jared says, and the look on his face is full of understanding. He takes the folder, opening it and flipping to the second sheet of paper, shows Jensen where it says both of their names on the page. "I want us to both do this together. You and me. Because I love you."

"What if I say I don't want this?" Jensen asks hesitantly, taking the folder from Jared.

"Then you don't. It's just a suggestion." Jared shrugs. "It wouldn't change anything between us."

"And what if I'm in and then we break up one day?"

"Does that mean we're still together?"

Jensen shrugs, looking sheepish. "I was an idiot," he admits. "I jumped to conclusions when I saw this and freaked out. Jared. I--"

Jared cuts him off with a kiss, cupping Jensen's face with his hands, and then resting their foreheads together. 

"You cost me ten years of my fucking life today," Jared murmurs, pressing his lips to Jensen's forehead. "I was going crazy, trying to reach you. And when I found the folder on the couch...fuck, Jensen. I thought I'd fucked everything up."

"I'm sorry," Jensen replies, sliding his arms around Jared's waist. "You didn't answer my question, though. What if we don't work out?"

"Then we'll deal with it like adults," Jared replies. "But I plan on making this work, Jensen. I'd do whatever it takes to make this work."

Jensen nods, pressing his lips against Jared's again, and then hugs Jared close, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "Okay," he whispers, and "Me, too."


	3. Epilogue

"Hey," Jared says, coming around the counter. Jensen looks up from the Mojito he's mixing and smiles.

"Hey back. What's up?"

"We're out of vodka. Think you can spare us a couple of bottles?" Jared asks. "Misha's vodka lemon chicken is pretty popular today."

"Well, I wouldn't want my partner business to not do well," Jensen says teasingly. "Though, really, your managing skills are kinda crappy. You always make sure to stock up on liquor."

"That's what we have you for," Jared replies, and leans in to press a kiss to Jensen's cheek before getting the key for the storage room from next to the cash register. 

He returns a couple of minutes later with two bottles of vodka tucked under his arm.

"I'll come by once we're closing," he says, kisses Jensen again quickly. 

"Later," Jensen says, waving Jared quickly before turning to take the next order.

Jared comes back a couple of hours later, as promised, with Misha in tow. Misha sits down at the bar, ordering a drink, while Jared gets back behind the counter.

"Hey, I'll take my break now that Jared's here," Matt calls out and Jensen nods at him. He hip checks Jared as he passes him to get a few glasses from the shelf.

"Hey, partner," Jared says. "Good night?"

"Can't complain," Jensen replies easily and they smile at each other before getting back to work.

+

Jared sidesteps a box as he comes out of the bathroom, already undressed. "We should have gone home," he complains, and Jensen rolls his eyes.

"And gotten up at dawn tomorrow morning to make it here before Misha gets here with the moving van? I'd rather sleep in for a few extra minutes."

Jared slides under the covers with him, scooting close and wrapping his arm around Jensen's waist. "I can't wait to get you home tomorrow," he says, kissing Jensen softly.

"We promised Misha and Danneel dinner for helping us," Jensen reminds him. "God, this is gonna be the first time neither of us nor Misha is at _The Whiskey Sour_."

"We have competent staff. Misha has a brilliant sous chef," Jared says, kissing Jensen's neck softly. "Stop worrying."

"I can't help it."

"Jensen. Tomorrow we're not gonna think about work," Jared says, propping himself up on his elbows and brushing Jensen's hair back with a smile. "Tomorrow is all about you and me finally moving in together."

Jensen laughs. "You're acting as if we're getting married. We're basically already living together – we're just making it official. And hauling boxes into your apartment isn't gonna be fun, either."

"At least I have an elevator in my building. Unlike you," Jared replies. "And you're forgetting about the fun part."

"And what's that?" Jensen asks.

"Sex. Celebratory moving-in-together-sex."

"I bet we'll both be too tired for that by the end of the night," Jensen replies and Jared gasps in mock outrage.

"I won't be."

"I think I will be," Jensen replies.

Jared shrugs. "That's okay. You can just lie there and look pretty and I'll do all the work."

"Charming," Jensen grins, and Jared laughs.

"That's why you love me."

Jensen reaches up, tugging strands of hair behind Jared's ear, pulling at them playfully. "I do," he says, and Jared beams down at him.

"I love you, too," he replies, voice softer, and leans down to kiss Jensen.

+

Jensen steps out of the bedroom only to walk right into Jared.

"Sorry," he says, trying to sidestep Jared, but Jared catches him by the waist and steers him back into the bedroom, closing the door behind them with a snick and turning the lock.

"Jay? What are you doing?"

"Shhh," Jared murmurs, and leans down, bringing their lips together in a kiss. Jensen tries to pull away, but Jared holds him in place and kisses him insistently until Jensen gives him, parting his lips with a sigh and kissing Jared back.

When they part, Jensen feels flushed, a grin on his face. "What was that for?" he asks.

"A moving-in-together-kiss," Jared replies casually, and Jensen laughs.

"You're ridiculous," he says, and surges up to catch Jared's lips with his again, feeling giddy and happy and, _finally_ , home.

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from Willie Nelson's song "Whiskey River".


End file.
